Seaming machine



April 17, 1934. A. G. HOPKINS 1,954,875

SEAMING MACHINE Filed Nov, 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l l8 w o4 i" 1 2 ll 4+ 22 Z4 f 90 i \W 9 L\ N I6 I ,/58

ea 5 14 x 66 E 60 INVENTOR ATTO R N EYS April 17, 1934.

A. e. HOPKINS SEAMING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III/III,

- V/Ix f INVENTOR A-mhur- G. HOPkHjIS ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 17, 1934 burrs STA ES PAT T 1,954,875 SEAMING MACHINE Application November 26, 1932, Serial No. 644,467 18 Claims. (oi. 113-23) This invention relates to seaming machines, especially double seaming machines for seaming cans, and more particularly to a compact, portable, manually operable seaming machine adapted for household use.

seaming machines in general comprise means for supporting and rotating a can,.and one or more seaming rollers which are brought successively into engagement with the edges to be i rolled and sealed. Ordinarily the seaming roller is moved slowly but continuously into engagement with the rotating edge of the can. so that in eiiect it traces a spiral during the seaming operation. I have found that improved results may be obtained if the seaming roller is instead caused to move with a step by step movement or an intermittent progressive movement, so that the can is rotated through a full revolution with the seaming roller at a fixed radial spacing, after I which the seaming roller may be moved inwardly a slight increment and is held at its new radial distance during another full revolution of the can. Another problem which arises more particularly in the case of household seaming machines which are to be made as simple and inexpensively as possible, is to obtain the necessary gear reduction between the can rotating mechanism and the mechanism which moves the seaming roller. If the desired reduction is obtained by means of worm and gear mechanism, the cost of the machine is increased because such gearing is far more expensive than ordinary spur gearing. If, on the other hand, sufiicient reduction is obtained by the use of spur gears, a considerable number of gears is needed and the mechanism becomes relatively bulky and complex.

The primary object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing difficulties, and I solve both problems by interconnecting the can rotating mechanism and the cam mechanism which moves the seaming rollers, by a single Geneva gear mechanism. By its very nature the Geneva gear mechanism provides the desired intermittent progressive movement of the seaming roller, for the Geneva gear is moved only intermittently by the Geneva pinion. At the same time, the necessary large reduction ratio is ob tained, for the Geneva gear is moved through only a single tooth during a complete rotation of the Geneva pinion, and this in turn is preferably made to coincide with a complete rotation of the can.

Another problem which arises in seaming machines centers about adjusting the' initial and final positions of each seaming roller relative to the can being sealed. It is evident that the machine should preferably be capable of accommodating a range of sizes of can, and this requires a commensurate adjustment of the seaming rollers. The adjustment for different sizes of can is a relatively crude or large adjustment, whereas the adjustment for final position or ultimate sealing pressure caused by the roller is a relatively fine adjustment, and the conventional practice is to employ two complete adjustment mechanisms: one for the crude adjustment; and the other for the fine adjustment. This complicates the mechanism of the machine; increases its cost; and, in a home seaming machine, is too mechanical a matter for the average housewife. In accordance with a further and important ob ject of the present invention, the mechanism for adjustment and the operation of the same are both greatly simplified by mounting the seam ing rollers on seaming roller blocks which are reciprocable in appropriate guide means, andwh'ich may be locked in position, as by the use of opposed serrations and appropriate locking screws.

In my prior application Ser. No. 644,466, fild November 26, 1932, I have disclosed a seaming 30 machine in which the seaming roller mechanism is so advantageously arranged that the seaming roller pressure is applied at a mechanical advantage and thereby magnified, all while obtaining an exceedingly compact and neat distribution of the necessary mechanical parts. A further object of the present invention resides in the application of the features of invention hereinbefore described to a home seaming machine, and more particularly to a machine arranged for beneficial mechanical advantage in accordance with my copending application aforesaid.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as will hereinafter appear, my M invention consists in the seaming machine elements' and their relation one to the other, as hereinafter are more particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectioned side elevation of a seaming machine embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 21s a horizontal section taken in the plane of the line 2'-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine; and Fig. 4 is a section of a detail taken'in the plane of the line 4.4= in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the seaming ma M chine comprises can supporting and rotating mechanism including a can table 12 elevatable by means of a lifter lever 14, and a cover chuck 16 mounted on a chuck spindle 18, a can 20 being held between the can table 12 and chuck 16. The seaming machine further comprises a seaming roller plate 22 pivoted at 24 and carrying first and second operation seaming rollers 26 and a cam follower 28. Cam follower 28 cooperates with an appropriate cam 30 which in turn is relatively slowly and only intermittently moved by Geneva gear mechanism including a Geneva pinion 32 mounted on chuck spindle 18, and a Geneva gear 34 which may be formed integrally with cam 30. The machine is driven by an appropriate drive shaft 36' which, for cheapness and simplicity, may be manually operated by a crank handle 38, and which is geared through bevel gearing 40 and 42 to chuck spindle 18 and consequently to the Geneva gear mechanism as well.

Considering the machine in greater detail, the mechanical parts already described are supported in an appropriate frame which in the present case is made up of a base plate and a head 52 rigidly connected to but elevated above the base plate 50 by appropriate supporting columns 54. These are shouldered and threaded at their opposed ends 56, the parts being held in assembled relation by nuts 58. This specific frame construction, while possessing the merit of being relatively simple and inexpensive, constitutes, of course, no

important part of the invention, and may be altered as desired, as, for example, by making the entire frame out of a single casting.

The base 50, besides being provided with pedestals for receiving the pillars 54, is provided with a bushing 62 reciprocably receiving a rod 64 at the upper end of which the can table 12 is mounted. The upper surface of bushing 62 is appropriately shaped to form a lifter cam element 66 which mates with a corresponding cam element 68 formed on the lower surface of the inner end of can lifting handle 14. The earns 66 and 68 are preferably formed with horizontal as well as sloping surfaces, thereby permitting lifter handle 14 to be swung into a position in which the horizontal surfaces rest upon one another, so that the handle need be no longer held. A plurality of flat and sloping surfaces are preferably used, these being diametrically distributed, as shown, so as to apply pressure to the can table in a balanced or equalized manner.

The lifting pressure provided by relative movement of the lifter cam mechanism is transferred to can table 12 through spacer washer '70 and resilient means here exemplified by a coil spring '72. It will be evident that can table 12 with spindle 64 may be lifted directly out of the remaining mechanism, thus permitting spacer washerflO to be replaced by a washer of difierent dimension or to have added thereto successive additional washers, thereby adjusting the table to accommodate cans of difierent height. In each case, of course, the lift of the cam mechanism is such as to permit a can and cover to be inserted in the machine and thereafter elevated and compressed between the can table and chuck, the pressure being determined by the spring 72. The can table may, of course, be provided with a seriesof grooves of different diameter so as to receive and center cans of different size, a single table sufiicing for the range of can sizes. The ease with which the can table 12may be lifted from base 50 is helpful in permitting handle 14 to be removed when storing the machine away,

leaving a compact machine of relatively small dimension.

Chuck 16 is detachably mounted upon chuck spindle 18, as by the use of a knurled nut threaded on the lower end of the chuck spindle. The chuck spindle and the chuck are preferably mated to prevent relative rotation, a square configuration being used in the present case, as is indicated at 82. A different chuck is required for each can diameter, but the necessary change is readily made. Chuck spindle 18 is rotatable in a fixed bearing 84 supported by arms, not

shown, which extend generally horizontally outwardly from the bearing 84 to the walls of head 52. Bevel gear 42 is mounted above bearing 84 and is fixedly secured to spindle 18 by appropriate means, such as the lock screw 86. The gear acts as one thrust bearing for the chuck spindle.

Geneva gear pinion 32 is secured to chuck spindle 18 below bearing 84. This pinion is preferably provided with a single tooth, here exemplified by the roller tooth 88, mounted on arm 90 extending radially outwardly from the cylinrical portion 32 of the pinion. The pinion is, of course, fixedly secured tospindle 18, as by the use of a pin 92. Referring to Fig. 2, it will be observed that while most of the wall of the hub portion of pinion 32 is cylindrical so as to mate with and lock the arcuate ends 94 of the Geneva gear teeth, the portion 96 of the Geneva gear pinion is cut away to provide clearance for the ends of the Geneva gear teeth when the Geneva gear is moved by pin 88 cooperating with one of the slots 98 between the Geneva gear teeth. As will probably be understood without further explanation, each rotation of Geneva gear pinion 32 moves the Geneva gear 34 through a single tooth, this movement of the Geneva gear taking place in only a small fraction of the rotation of the pinion, the Geneva gear being locked in position during the remainder of the rotation of the pinion by mating cooperation of the pinion hub and the ends of the Geneva gear teeth.

Geneva gear 34 and cam 30 are preferably and most simply formed integrally, the cam 30 being simply a continuous cam groove cut in the lower face of the Geneva gear 34. The gear is rotatably mounted on a pin 100 which in turn'is fixedly secured in head 52. as by the use of a lock pin 102.

The seaming roller plate 22 consists of a single integral plate which is pivoted at one end on the fixed pin 24, this in turn being held in head 52 by an appropriate lock screw 104. The bearing surface between pin 24 and oscillatable plate 22 is preferably made large, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the plate will be held against vertical movement during its oscillation. Of course, additional supporting means or guide rails may be provided on the machine, if desired, but in the present case the desired support is obtained solely at the pivot 24. The plate 22 extends across the top of chuck 16, and, to permit oscillation of the plate without interference with the chuck spindle 18, the plate is preferably cut away around the chuck spindle, as is indicated at 106, thus permitting a compact arrangement of parts without mutual interference. The cam follower 28 is mounted at the opposite end of the plate, as is best shown in Fig. 4. Cam follower 28 may consist of a roller rotatably mounted on pin 108 projecting upwardly from plate 22, said roller being appropriately dimensioned to fit within cam groove 30. Cam groove 30 is eccentrically related with respect to the center of the Geneva gear, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2, and consequently a full rotation of the Geneva gear causes an oscillation of the plate first in one direction andthen in the opposite direction. This in turn permits of a first operation seaming roller being brought into contact with the rotating can, then moved away, followed by a second operation seaming roller being brought into contact with the rotating can and then moved away, at which time the sealing of the can is completed and the can table may be lowered and the can removed.

Cam groove 30 has been shown as a circle eccentrically related to the Geneva gear, this being the simplest form structurally, for the groove may be turned and finished, if desired, by similarly eccentrically mounting the gear during manufacture of the groove. However, it will be appreciated that if it is desired to speed up the withdrawal of each seaming roller after it has operated upon the can and before the other seaming roller is brought into engagement with the can, it is simply necessary to appropriately lay out the cam groove '30 on the Geneva gear so that the movement from the point of medium radius, shown in Fig. 2, to the point of minimum radius will be gradual, while the return to the diametrically opposite point of medium radius will be more abrupt. The movement then to the point of maximum radius will be gradual, while the return to the point of medium radius will be made abrupt. This, however, is a refinement which may be dispensed with in the interests of simplicity.

The seaming rollers 26 are mounted on plate 22 by adjustable mounting means permitting adjustment of the seaming rollers to accommodate cans of diiiferent size. Specifically, the seaming rollers are rotatable on bearing pins 110 which in turn are fixedly locked in seaming roller blocks 112, as by the use of set screws 114. These blocks 112 are reciprocable on plate 22 and are preferably guided by guide means or guide rails, here formed by recessing the plate, as shown at 116, the blocks 112 being provided with outwardly projecting ledges or flanges 118 for cooperating with the grooves or ledges 116. The plate 22 is further provided with knurled lock screws 120 the inner ends of which bear against blocks 112. It will be evident that by releasing the lock screws and sliding the blocks and thereupon again tightening the screws, the seaming rollers may be adjusted as desired relative to plate 22. To guide the operator of the-machine, the plate and blocks are preferably provided with a numerical calibration or scale, as is indicated at 122, which may be numbered directly in terms of can size.

To securely hold the seaming roller blocks in adjusted position, I prefer to provide additional locking means by matingly serrating the edges of the blocks and plate, this serration being indicated at 124 in Figs. 2 and 4. The blocks 112 are reduced in width relative to the slots in plate 22, so that when screws 120 are released, the serrations are readily disengaged and the blocks moved to desired position of adjustment. Upon tightening screws 122, however, the blocks are moved to bring the serrations into engagement, thereby securely holding the blocks in adjusted position. By making the teeth relatively fine in size, the desired fine adjustment for seaming pressure on the can may be obtained, as well as the coarse adjustment for can size. Consequently both these adjustments are obtainable by a single, relatively simple adjusting mechanism.

At the same time, it will be noted that the seaming rollers are located'intermediate the pivot 24 and the cam follower 28, so that the pressure exerted by the cam on the cam follower is applied to the seaming rollers with a mechanical advantage which increases the actual seaming roller pressure applied to the can. The desired leverage and mechanism for the seaming rollers is obtained by a compact layout which does not increase the over-all dimension of the machine. The seaming roller adjustment is made in an extremely simple manner understandable even by a housewife not versed in mechanics.

It is believed that the mode of constructing and using the seaming machine of my invention, as well as the many advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. In operation, a can and cover are placed upon the can table 12 while the lever is in lowered position, as shown in Fig. 3. The lever 14 is then oscillated to elevate the can and press the same against the chuck 16. Handle 38 is then rotated, the rotation being continued until the first operation seaming roller moves into engagement with the can and is withdrawn, and the second operation seaming roller moves into engagement with the can and is withdrawn, at which time the can is sealed and is free of the seaming rollers. The can table is then lowered and the can removed. During the seaming operation the seaming roller moves with an intermittent or step by step movement progressively toward the can, so that the seaming operation describes a series of concentric circles of reducing diameter, rather than a spiral, thus producing a more uniform seal. The actual inward movement of the roller at each step is, of course, not abrupt but sufficiently gradual for effective operation. If another batch of cans of different size is to be sealed, it is simply necessary to change the spacer washer 70; to change the chuck 16; and

to move the seaming roller blocks 112.

The resulting machine is compact, simple, made of relatively few parts, and adapted for inexpensive manufacture. The necessary large gear reduction between the can rotating mechanism and the seaming roller cam mechanism is obtained in a single step by the use of Geneva gear mechanism which may be made at only a fraction of the cost of conventional worm and gear mechanism, and which, of course, contrasts with ordinary spur gear mechanism, because with the latter a substantial number of pinions and gears are needed to obtain a similar reduction ratio. At the same time, this mechanism in and of itself produces the desirable intermittent or step by step movement, in constrast with a continuous spiral movement. The seaming roller adjustment is obtained in a simple manner, and a single adjustmen serves for both coarse and fine changes.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my, invention in preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A seaming machine for sealing sheet metal cans and the like, comprising means to support and rotate a can, a seaming roller reciprocable into engagement with said can, and means for moving said seaming roller into engagement with a can with an intermittent progressive motion including Geneva gear mechanism operatively connected with the can-rotating means.

2. A seaming machine for sealing sheet metal cans and the like, comprising means to support and rotate a can, a seaming roller reciprocable into engagement with said can, a cam for reciprocating said seaming roller, and Geneva gear mechanism interconnecting the can-rotating means and the cam.

3. A seaming machine for sealing sheet metal cans and the like, comprising means to support and rotate a can, a seaming roller plate pivoted at one end and provided with a cam follower at its opposite end, a seaming roller mounted on said plate intermediate the pivot and follower, a rotatable cam engaging said follower, and Geneva gear mechanism interconnecting the canrotating means and the cam.

4. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate, a cam follower mounted thereon, and a pair of scaming rollers mounted thereon, a cam cooperating with said cam follower, and means including Geneva gear mechanism interconnecting said spindle and said cam.

5. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate, means pivotally mounting one end of said plate, a cam follower at the other end of said plate, and a pair of seaming rollers mounted on said plate intermediate the pivot and cam follower, a cam cooperating with said cam follower, and means including Geneva gear mechanism interconnecting said spindle and said cam.

6. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate located above said chuck, means pivotally mounting one end of said plate, a cam follower at the other end of said plate, and a pair of seaming rollers mounted on said plate on opposite sides of said chuck spindle, said plate being cut away to permit oscillation without interference with the chuck spindle, a cam cooperating with said cam follower, and means including Gevena gear mechanism interconnecting said spindle and said cam.

'7. A compact portable home seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a I can'including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate located above said chuck, means pivotally mounting one end of said plate, a cam follower at the other end of said plate, and a pair of seaming rollers mounted on said plate on opposite sides of said chuck spindle, said plate be ing cut away to permit oscillation without interference with the chuck spindle, a cam cooperating with said cam follower, a manually rotatable handle for driving said machine, means interconnecting said handle and chuck spindle, and means including Geneva gear mechanism interconnecting said handle and spindle with said earn.

3. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can, a single seaming roller plate, means pivotally mounting one end of said plate, cam mechanism operating upon the opposite end of said plate, and a pair of seaming rollers mounted on said plate intermediate the pivot and cam mechanism by adjustable mounting means including seaming roller blocks on which the seaming rollers are mounted, transverse guide rails along which the seaming roller blocks are reciprocable, and lock means for holding the blocks and plate in adjusted po= sition.

9. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can including a chuck and chuck spindle, a single oscillatable seaming roller plate located above said chuck, means pivotally mounting one end of said plate, cam mechanism operating upon the opposite end of said plate, said plate being so shaped as not to interfere with the chuck spindle when oscillated, and a pair of seaming rollers mounted on said plate intermediate the pivot and cam mechanism by adjustable mounting means including seaming roller blocks on which the seaming rollers are mounted, transverse guide means along which the seaming roller blocks are reciprocable, the plate and blocks being matingly serrated to hold the blocks in any desired position of adjustment, and lock screws for holding the serrations of the blocks and plate in engagement.

10. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate cam mechanism for moving the same, a seaming roller mounted on said plate by adjustable mounting means including a seaming roller block on which the seaming roller is mounted, guide means along which the seaming roller block is reciprocable to adjust the position of the seaming roller, the plate and block being matingly serrated to hold the block in any desired position of adjustment, and lock means for holding the serrations of the block and plate in engagement, and means including Geneva gear mechanism interconnecting the spindle and cam mechalllSm.

11. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate, cam mechanism for moving the same, and a pair of seaming rollers mounted on said plate by adjustable means including seaming roller blocks on which the seaming rollers are mounted, transverse guide means along which the seaming roller blocks are reciprocable to adjust the posi-- tion of the seaming rollers, and lock screws for holding the blocks and plate in locked engagement, and means including Geneva gear mechanism interconnecting the spindle and cam mechanism.

12. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate located above said chuck, means pivotally mounting one end of said plate, a cam follower at the other end of said plate, and a pair of seaming rollers mounted on said plate on opposite sides of said chuck spindle by means of adjustable mounting mechanism including seaming roller blocks on which the seaming rollers are mounted, transverse guide rails along which the seaming roller blocks are reciprocable, and lock means for holding the blocks and plate in locked engagement, a cam 00- o-perating with said cam follower, and means including Geneva gear mechanism interconnecting said spindle and said cam.

13. A compact portable home seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating 2. can including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate located above said chuck, means pivotally mounting one end of said cam plate, a cam follower at the other end of said plate, said plate being cut away so as not to interfere with the chuck spindle, and a pair of seaming rollers mounted on said plate on opposite sides of said chuck spindle by means of adjustable mounting means including seaming roller blocks on which the seaming rollers are mounted, transverse guide means along which the seaming roller blocks are reciprocable, the plate and blocks being matingly serrated to hold the blocks in any desired position of adjustment, and lock screws for holding the serrations of the blocks and plate in engagement, a manually rotatable handle for driving said machine, means interconnecting said handle and chuck spindle, and means including Geneva gear mechanism interconnecting said handle and spindle with said cam.

14. A seaming machine for seaming sheet metal cans and the like, comprising means to support and rotate a can, a seaming roller reciprocable into engagement with said can, and means for moving said seaming roller into engagement with the can including gearing interconnecting the seaming roller and the can rotating means, said gearing being so arranged as to move the seaming roller with an intermittent progressive motion, the seaming roller being left stationary during substantially a full rotation of the can rotating means between each of the successive increments of movement toward the center of the can.

15. A seaming machine for sealing sheet metal cans and the like, comprising means to support and rotate a can, a seaming roller reciprocable into engagement with said can, a cam for reciprocating said seaming roller, and gearing interconnecting the can rotating means and the cam, said gearing being so arranged as to move the cam with an intermittent progressive motion.

16. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can, including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate, a cam follower mounted thereon, and a pair of seaming rollers mounted thereon, a cam cooperating with said cam follower, and gearing interconnecting said spindle and said cam, said gearing being so arranged as to rotate the cam with an intermittent progressive motion.

17. A seaming machine for sealing sheet metal cans and the like, comprising means to support and rotate a can, a seaming roller reciprocable into engagement with said can, a cam for reciprocating said seaming roller, and gear mechanism interconnecting the can rotating means and the cam, said gear mechanism including a pinion and a gear so relatively formed that continuous rotation of the pinion produces intermittent progressive movement of the gear.

18. A seaming machine comprising means for supporting and rotating a can, including a chuck and chuck spindle, a seaming roller plate, a cam follower mounted thereon, and a pair of seaming rollers mounted thereon, a cam cooperating with said cam follower, and gear mechanism interconnecting said spindle and said cam, said gear mechanism including a pinion and a gear so relatively formed that continuous rotation of the pinion produces intermittent progressive movement of the gear.

ARTHUR G. HOPKINS. 

